The Pioneers

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The Pioneers is one of the most commercially successful and musically interesting Jamaican vocal trios of early reggae , i.e. the time and early phase of reggae music.

biography

The group is founded in 1962 by Winston Hewitt and the brothers Derrick and Sydney Crooks (born February 24, 1945, Westmorland, Jamaica), but Hewitt is soon replaced by Glen Adams. They recorded their first single "Sometime" in 1965, still in the Ska era, for producer Leslie Kong . Adams soon pursues a career as a studio musician and plays organ in Lee Perry's band The Upsetters , Derrick Crooks is replaced by Jackie Robinson (born July 21, 1951). In the line-up of Sydney Crooks / Jackie Robinson, the Pioneers recorded their first single in 1967 for producer Joe Gibbs with "Gimme A Little Loving" , which should reach number 1 in the Jamaican singles charts. Another top hit was “Long Shot”, a song about the success of a famous Jamaican racehorse. At this point, ska has turned into rock steady and should soon transition into reggae. Desmond Dekker's younger half-brother George Dekker (born October 17, 1946, also known as George Agard or Johnny Melody), joins the group, so that it is again a trio. You switch to producer Leslie Kong and record another number one hit with “Easy Come Easy Go”. In 1969 their perhaps most famous song followed, "Long Shot Kick De Bucket". It is the sequel to "Long Shot" and tells the story of how the racehorse and another horse named Combat perished in a competition in Caymanas Park in Kingston . The single is also played in Great Britain and eventually reaches number 21 on the local charts.

This year and the following year the group is at its artistic peak. Her songs have an African-like, almost mystical monotony, which is only found again much later in reggae groups like Burning Spear . Examples of this sound are “Black Bud” “Simmer Down Quashi” and “Samfie Man”. Another great success from this time is "Battle of the Giants". After touring Egypt and Lebanon , her style changes to a more commercial, more pop-oriented reggae. This change of direction gives them their greatest success in England, "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah". The piece, written by Jimmy Cliff , reached number 5 on the British charts. Their 1972 song "Time Hard" will appear on the debut album of The Selecter group five years later and in this version it will be one of the earliest hits of the " 2-tone " -Ska (also called "2nd Wave of Ska") ) become.

From 1973 Dekker pursues a career as a singer and composer, Robinson also works as a solo singer, while Sidney Crooks shifts to production and has been running his own studio in Luton, Bedfordshire (England) since the late 1980s . The Pioneers group has never officially disbanded; the members have appeared together sporadically over the years.

Discography

Singles

  • Sometime (1965)
  • Good Nannie (1966)
  • Too Late (1966)
  • I love no other girl (1966)
  • Teardrops to a Smile (1966)
  • Rudies Are The Greatest (1967)
  • Some Of Them A Bawl (1967)
  • Whip Them (1967)
  • Gimme a Little Loving (1967)
  • Having A Bawl (1967)
  • Long Shot (1968)
  • Pan Ya Machete (1968)
  • The A Laugh (1968)
  • Run Come Walla (1968)
  • Catch the Beat (1968)
  • No Dope Me Pony (1968)
  • Me Nah Go A Bellevue (1968)
  • Catch The Beat (1968)
  • Reggay Beat (1968)
  • Mama Look Deh (1968)
  • Jackpot (1968)
  • Things got to Change (1968)
  • Easy Come Easy Go (1968)
  • Long Shot Kick De Bucket (1969)
  • Black Bud (1969)
  • Poor Remeses (1969)
  • Samfie Man (1969)
  • Simmer Down Quashi (1969)
  • Battle of the Giants (1970)
  • Money Day (1970)
  • Cherri, Cherri (1970)
  • Starvation (1970)
  • I Need Your Sweet Inspiration (1970)
  • Let Your Yeah Be Yeah (1971)
  • Give and Take (1971)
  • Time Hard (1972)
  • Roll Muddy River (1972)

Albums

  • Greetings From The Pioneers (1968) (Tracks: Me Naw Go A Believe, You'll Never Get Away, Baby Don't Be Late, Shake It Up, No Dope Me Pony, Whip Them, Gimme Gimme Girl, Things Just Got To Change, Sweet Dreams, Tickle Me For Days, Jackpot, Give Me A Little Loving)
  • Long Shot (1969) (Tracks: Long Shot, Caranapo, Black Bud, Long Up Your Mouth, Bring Him Come, Mother Ritty, Poor Rameses, Samfie Man, Belly Gut, Lucky Side, Trouble Dey A Bush, Boss Festival)
  • Battle Of The Giants (1970)
  • Yeah (1971)
  • Let Your Yeah Be Yeah (1972)
  • I Believe In Love (1972) (Tracks: The World Needs Love, Poor Man's Son, Alright On The Night, Take It Easy, Higher & Higher, I'll Be Standing By, I Believe In Love, Time Hard, Live To Love , Habit, Do What You Wanna Do, Destiny)
  • Freedom Feeling (1973) (Tracks: Freedom Train, Marita, Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Smokin ', Bye Bye Love, Pony Express, Bad To Be Good, My Love, Take A Look Around, Some Livin', Some Dyin ', Vanity, At The Discotheque)
  • Roll On Muddy River (1974)
  • I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door (1974)
  • Pusher Man (1974)

Web links